


To Become Yourself

by Spacecadet72



Category: Maleficent (Disney Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:28:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28146846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spacecadet72/pseuds/Spacecadet72
Summary: Aurora worries about fulfilling her responsibilities as Queen, and seeks advice from Maleficent.
Relationships: Aurora & Maleficent (Disney)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 15
Collections: Yuletide 2020





	To Become Yourself

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Moonzari](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonzari/gifts).



> I really enjoyed exploring this part of their relationship and writing a small moment as they both navigate the events directly following the first movie. I hope you like it as much as I enjoyed writing it! :) 
> 
> Title comes from the following quote: 
> 
> _No leader sets out to be a leader. People set out to live their lives, expressing themselves fully. When that expression is of value, they become leaders. So the point is not to become a leader. The point is to become yourself, to use yourself completely – all your skills, gifts and energies – in order to make your vision manifest. You must withhold nothing. You must, in sum, become the person you started out to be, and to enjoy the process of becoming._  
>  **Warren Bennis**

Maleficent sat against a tree near a small pond, her eyes closed and her head tipped back, leaning gently against the tree's bark. Diaval, in raven form, rested on a branch a few feet above her. It hadn't been all that long since they had defeated Stefan and brought peace back to the Moors. Aurora, who Maleficent had decided would make an excellent ruler of the Moors, would be crowned Queen in just a few short days. There was a lot of work still to be done, and so many people wanted to talk to her now. She almost wished she could go back to being evil, just so she could have some solitude.

"Godmother!"

Maleficent opened her eyes. As much as she wanted to rest and be by herself, she would never begrudge her beastie some of her time. Especially not since she could still see her, quiet and still as death, whenever she closed her eyes.

Aurora came running into view, worry in her voice, but nothing in her tone or looks said that anything truly disastrous had happened. Maleficent relaxed slightly, but sat upright to receive her goddaughter.

"What is it, Aurora?" she asked, once the girl had reached her. Her hair was in disarray and her gown, while much nicer than what she had been accustomed to wearing, was ruffled and Maleficent could spot several spots of dirt where Aurora had clearly been playing or helping someone with no thought to what it would do to her clothes. Maleficent liked that actually. The idea of this bright, sunny child turning into a vain, simpering royal turned her stomach.

"I am meeting with several of the Moor Folk in an hour and I'm not sure what I'm supposed to say and my hair won't cooperate and I'm not sure what to do."

Diaval cawed above them, both drawing attention to himself, and trying to reassure Aurora.

Aurora smiled at him, clearly recognizing his efforts for what they were, her worries smoothing away for a moment. "Hello, Diaval."

When Aurora turned back to Maleficent, her face was lined with concern again, which was not a look she was very accustomed to seeing on Aurora's face. She wondered, not for the first time, if blessing a child that they would always be happy and never blue was actually more of a curse.

But now was not the time to ponder that. She patted the ground in front of her. "Well, we can start with your hair," she said simply. She tended not to do much with her hair, but could make Aurora's look presentable. "And while we do that, we can talk about your meeting."

Aurora smiled widely again, her shoulders relaxing in palpable relief. "Thank you, Godmother," she said brightly as she settled in front of her.

Maleficent began brushing her fingers through Aurora's hair, gently working out the knots and tangles, of which there were several. As she worked her way through the strands, she spoke, hoping Aurora would be able to carry most of the conversation. Often, she just needed to speak her worries aloud, and would find a solution herself in the process.

"What is the meeting about? What has you worried?"

Aurora leaned back slightly, and sighed. "It is to meet with the Moor Folk and hear their concerns. I know I am not Queen yet, but I want to start my rule as I mean to continue, and I can't do that if I don't know what's going on."

A soft smile tugged at Maleficent's lips. She had known Aurora would be an excellent Queen, and certainly a better one than she herself would be, but it was nice to have confirmation of that fact.

Maleficent hummed out a supportive noise and Aurora continued. "It's just that I don't really know how to be Queen, and have never met with subjects before. I know I've helped out different faeries and creatures before, but that's different."

"What is your plan for how the meeting will go?" Maleficent asked, knowing leading Aurora to the answer would be better than giving her advice right away. She would be willing to share it, but wanted Aurora to try and find her own answer first. As she spoke, she ran her fingers through Aurora's now smooth, untangled hair. She separated the hair into different sections, and handed Aurora one of them to hold. She took it without complaint.

"I was planning on introducing myself again and asking for their concerns. I will be writing them down so that I have record of them." Aurora paused, and Maleficent could just imagine her face as she thought through her plan. "I want to be clear with them that I will most likely not have any real solutions for them right away. I don't have any power yet, anyway, but I will need to look into the concerns to make sure I make helpful decisions."

"That sounds like an excellent plan," Maleficent said as she braided small sections of Aurora's hair. Diaval cawed his agreement, and Aurora turned her head up to look at him. Maleficent tugged at her hair, and moved her head back down. "Stay still," she chided gently, no real bite in her tone.

"Sorry, Godmother. What if there are too many concerns?" Aurora asked, more worry leaking into her tone. Maleficent knew how badly she wanted to be a good ruler for the Moor Folk, especially since there was still tension between the human kingdoms and the Moors. 

"You could always have another meeting," Maleficent suggested. "There will always be concerns. But you can work through them."

Aurora's answering sigh sounded much more content and at ease, which lifted some of Maleficent's own anxieties. Oh, she knew Aurora would fulfill her role well, even if there were some missteps in the beginning, but if the child was less filled with worry, things would go better for her.

"That is a good idea, Godmother," she said, and Maleficent could hear the full smile in her words. She worked quietly for a few moments as she finished up the simple braided crown. It would keep Aurora's hair from getting tangled again, but looked regal enough for a first meeting with her future subjects.

"Alright, I am finished," she said as she moved her hands to her lap and sat back.

Aurora leaped up and ran to the pond, looking at her reflection in the water. She touched the braids gently and turned back to Maleficent, beaming. "Thank you so much, it's beautiful."

She walked back over to Maleficent and Diaval and leaned down to hug Maleficent tightly. It was awkward, partly because Maleficent was sitting against the tree, but also because this kind of contact was still not something she was used to. But she wrapped her arms around Aurora and hugged her back as tightly as she could. She would put up with any amount of discomfort for this girl.

"I don't know what I would do without you, Godmother," Aurora said cheerily, but with real sincerity as she pulled back.

Everything had worked out well, and Aurora had grown up without the influences that might have corrupted her in a human royal court, but Maleficent didn't feel that these outcomes excused her part in Aurora's story.

She reached out and patted Aurora's arm. "You would do wonderfully, just as you are going to do tonight."

Maleficent could see the love and affection Aurora held for her in her eyes, and she wasn't sure what she had done to deserve it, but as a selfish being she would hold onto it all the same.

"You should finish preparing for your meeting," Maleficent said, gently.

Aurora nodded, and reached up to stroke Diaval's head a few times, before she said her goodbyes to the both of them and ran off.

Diaval let out a happy caw as their goddaughter ran off.

"Yes," she said, as she settled back against the trunk of the tree. "I am proud of her too."


End file.
